Horatio w



Aug. 30, 1932.

H. w. SMITH 1,875,271

SCREEN FASTENER Filed July 29, 1929 INIfENT R; //om77o .501/7/7 A TTORNE Y Patented Aug. 30, 1932 urrsn STATES P TENT. orFicE- 1 nonn'rro W. SMITH, ors'rocxron, cALIronNIa'AssrGNonro,carnnrinmm 'rnecron 00., or sAN LEANDRO, C ALIFOR1\TIA,A CORPORATION or CALIFORNIA scnnnn .rAs'rEnnn Application filed July 29,

Theinvention relates to a screen fastener which is especially adapted for use in connection with separator screens forming a part of a grain thresher. These screens usually 5 are either of the rotatabletype or of the flat type. In the rotatable type of screen it has been customary to roll the sheet screens'into a tubular form and spotweld or otherwise affix the two ends-to be oined. It is, however,

1Q diflicult to store and transport screens of this size and shape, and to change or replace them once they have been mounted on tlie sepa rator. The same objection as to the difiiculty of disconnection exists with respect, to the fiat type of screen.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a screen which can be easily connected or disconnected.

It is another object of my invention to pro- Vide means for permitting two screen ends to be interlocked when said ends are brought into overlapping position.

The foregoing and other objects are attained in the embodiment of the invention '25-shown in the drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a rotatable screen separator showing the screen fastening means, portions being broken away.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a fiat screen separator showing the position of the screen ends when they are brought into interpenetrating position. I

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 33 of Figure 2, showing the relationship of the overlapping screen ends when in locked position.

My invention in its preferred form includes a screen fastener for locking two overlapping screen portions together.

The separator screens to which the invention is particularly adapted are ordinarily formed with a plurality of apertures arranged in transverse rows, the apertures being of slightly greater width thanthe metal portions separating them. The size of the apertures in these screens may vary due to diiferences in grains upon which they operate. The transverse rows of apertures are preferably staggered in such a manner that the strength of the screen is maintained. As

1929. Serial No. 382,p28.

heretofore pointed out, in practice it has been found expedient to spotweld the screen ends in place initially and to transport them in this form. To obviate this I- have found that by providing channelled portions at eachof the screen ends, the channelled portion including one of said transverse rows of apertures, connection'of said ends to each other can be effe'cted with but the additional element of a locking b'ar. Furthermore, since the channelling operation is a simple one, it can take place at any time before the screen ends are connected. Care must be taken, however, that the channelled portions of the screen ends to be connectedbe disposed oppositely from each other. 7 1

. The manner in which the screen ends are connected may be understood'more readily by reference to the drawing where I have V designated the individual screen end portions 76 which are to be fastened as 11' and 12. These portions can be the two ends of a single screen sheet or can be the ends of two separate sheets. Along the margin of the portion 11 are a plurality of spaced ridges 14 which are formed when the ends of the screens are channelled. The other screen end portion 12 is arranged in a-similar' manner, with comparable ridges 17 which, however, are disposed on a side opposite to that upon which the ridges 14 are disposed. -The ridges on the sections. 11 and 12 provideeach section with-a plurality of spaced alined eyes. To fasten the screen end portions together they are first brought into overlapping position. The spaced ridges on one of the end portions are then inserted into the'spaced apertures on the other portion. Correspondingly the ridges of the second portion enter the apertures of the first, since the ridges and aperturesonboth of the portions are complementary. It will thus be seen that there results an interpenetrating relationship between the two screens portions 11 and 12.

To retain the screens in interpenetrating positionI provide a locking-bar 18 which may be of the fiat construction I have shown. This locking bar is inserted in a passage definedby'the interpenetrating ridges and lies 100 substantially in the same plane as the connected screen bodies.

Figures 2 and 3 clearly indicate the fastening means and the manner in which fastening is efiected. The screen portions in these figures have been shown as being flat for sake of clarity, but the rotatable screen fastening means are of similar construction. Figure, 1 illustrates an embodiment of my invention in a rotatable screen 26 which surrounds a spiral conveyor 27 and is rotatable therewith, and is held together, as at 28, by the looking I bar 18. In this way, a relatively flat connection is made between the screen ends, and the advantages heretofore mentioned are ob tained..

' It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the embodiment shown and described herein, but is to be given a scope commensurate with the appended claims. 7

I claim: 1. A screen fastener comprising a pluralit of spaced ridges disposed on opposite sides of two screen end portions the latter being disposed to overlap and contact with each other, there being apertures between said ridges,and a locking bar for insertion between the ridges of the respective overlapped portions when the ridges on one of said end portions are inserted into the apertures of the other end portion for locking said portions together, said end portions overlying eachother on both sides of the bar. I

2.. A construction :comprising sections cooperatively apertured 'to be inter-engaged with each other in overlappingrelationship, the inter-engaged and overlapping sections con ointly forming a channel substantially continuous across said overlapping end sections, and barmeans insertable in said channel to retainsaid sections in said overlapping and inter-engaged relationship, said sections overlying each other on both sides of said bar means.

3. In combination, a first end section, a second end section,'said sections being adapted to be positioned in an overlapping relationship, and being formed to conjointly provide a channel along said overlapping ends, and a substantially straight bar slidable in a channel penetrating movement along said overlapping ends, said sections overlying each other on both sides of said bar.

4. A quickly attachable fastening for over lapped plate end sections comprislng a plutions is formed with portions providing a plurality of spaced eyes and the second of which is formed with a pluralty of spaced apertures, the eye portions of said first section projecting through the apertures in said second section and beyond the overlapping part of said second section, and a locking bar directly insertable endwise through said eyes and between the latter and the apertured part of said second'section for securing said sections against relative movement, said two sect-ions overlying each other on both sides of said. bar. 7

6. In ascreen, the combination of two similar overlapping edge sections, each of said sections being formed with a plurality of spaced and alined struck up portions and with spaced and alined apertures intervening between said struck up portions, the struck up portions, of each edge section projecting through the apertures of the other edge section, and a locking bar directly insertable cndwise between the struck up portions of the respective sections for securing said sections against relative movement, said two' sections overlying each other on both sides of said bar;

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. V

, HORATIO V. SMITH.

rality of portions integral with and struck up from one section providing spaced eyes, said eyes projecting through apertures formed in the other section, and a locking bar directly insertable through said eyes, said overlapping sections overlying each other on both sides of saidlocking bar. I

5. In a screen the combination of two overlapping edge sections the first of which sec- 

